Wide Awake: The Best of The Week in Houston's Music

The weeks lately have been lush with plenty of music from locals and touring acts. This week is no different when we'll see sets from Parquet Courts, The Breeders, Eric B.& Rakim, Lee Ann Womack, Homeshake and more while locals like Ancient Cat Society, Cool Moon, and many more will fill in the gaps.

Tonight you can get started at White Oak Music Hall for the electronic sounds of Australia's What So Not. Coming off of a crazed set at last year's Coachella, the producer will be here in support of his hit making and groove heavy drop Not All The Beautiful Things. A support set from L.A.'s DUCKWRTH will get the all ages show started. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $20.

Under The Volcano will get rocked when the lead singer of ShinyRibs, Kevin Russell swings by to drop a solo set with a full band in tow.Billed as Kevin Russell with Tijuana Trainwreck +Shiny Soul Sisters, the show should be worth catching. The alt country of Western Star will get the night going for the 21 & up attendees. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets TBD.

Thursday you could roll out to Woodlands Pavilion for Foo Fighters if you nabbed tickets. While the all ages show is sold out already, and their last two records have been utter garbage, their live shows are usually entertaining. The Struts will open things up. Gates at 6 p.m.; tickets Sold Out.

Lee Ann Womack should fill up The Heights Theater with plenty of amazing sounds.

Photo Ebru Yildiz

Of course, you can head to The Heights Theater for the country soul of Lee Ann Womack. Aside from the fact that she's a true force in her genre, Womack is an engaging artist whose latest release, The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone was made right here in Houston. The alt country sounds of Vandoliers will be on as direct support and openers for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $28 to $75.

Over at Rudyard's, Houston's Narrow Head will bring their alt rock sounds to all. Supporting their latest single "Bulma," these guys have that mix of Helmet and Hum that's hard not to like. The indie rock of Houston's Rose Ette will be on as direct support while the psych dream pop of Chicago's GOSH! will go on prior. Houston's Clare will open the 21 & up show. Doors at 8 p.m.; $10 cover.

Over at Big Top, the DJ who toured with The Clash, DJ Scratchy Sounds will swing by to perform with the Pechuco Boogie Sounds set. Join Felipe Galvan of Los Skarnales for this show where R&B and everything rockin' and rollin' will get spun while catching a living legend in the process for the 21 & up show. Doors at 9 p.m.; Free.

Over at Continental Club, Austin's Christy Hays will bring her soulful country tunes to the Main Street venue. Hays has been hailed as one of the strongest songwriters to come out of Austin in years, and her latest record will be out later this month. Her last release Caliche is pretty wonderful, and she should be worth catching. There's no wordof openers yet for the 21 & up show. Doors at 9 p.m.; TBD cover.

Mucky Duck will get some soulful sounds when Nathan Quick swings by to perform. Quick has been grinding for a good while now, so it only makes sense that his latest release The Other Side would match his soulful live sets. There's no openers for this 21 & up show. Doors at 9:30 p.m.; tickets $20 to $22.

Ak'chamel are never the same twice.

Photo by Achud Malax

Friday you can start off at Insomnia Gallery for the 4/20 Psychedelic Art show featuring a live performance from Ak'chamel. Alongside plenty of vendors and art wares, the most interesting and creative band in town will mysteriously drop a set. From the fact that I can't tell you what they'll wear or do to the fact that their music from their latest, Death Chants sound like transmissions from another time, they're not to be missed. Doors at 7 p.m.; Free.

The Secret Group will host the pop sounds of Houston's Sugar Joiko. Creating infectious tunes that were all over her 2016 release Motionless, and backing it up with heavy vocals, Joiko could pop off sooner than later. Her latest single "Freak Bitch," is also impressive and sticks with you after one listen. There's no word of openers for the all ages show yet, but that could change. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $12 to $20.

Over at Rockefeller's the powerful sounds of Nina Diaz will be back in town. Diaz is best known for fronting Girl In A Coma, but her solo work is pretty intense on its own, and her debut album The Beat Is Dead is pretty amazing. The high energy indie rock of Houston's Wild Moccasins will be on as direct support and openers for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $12 to $15.

Honey & Salt will bring their indie rock goodness to Houston.

Photo courtesy of Spartan Records

Spruce Goose will have the album release party from Austin's Honey & Salt. There's something immense in the powerful indie rock this band makes, and the album Honey and Salt is worth getting into your ears. Whit will be on as direct support while the high energy sounds of Ruiners will go on prior. The math rock of Galveston's Blast Dad will open the 21 & up show. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $10.

Upstairs at Rudyard's, the stoner rock of Dallas' Wo Fat will be on hand to help bang heads. These three play like there's more than a trio on stage, and their latest release Live Juju: Freak Valley and Beyond should give you an idea of their sound. The blues metal of Austin's BLACK will be on beforehand, while they try to follow the heaviness of Houston's Doomstress who will open the 21 & up show. Doors at 9 p.m.; Free.

If that's not your thing, then you could swing by Cactus for their Record Store Day Extravaganza. For me, Record Store Day is everyday, but collectors will be scouring all the local shops around town to grab the rare releases. Every shop that houses new & used records should have something planned, so remember that. Cactus will host three live sets starting with a DJ set from Giant Kitty at 10 a.m.; a solo set from Buxton's Sergio Trevino at 1 p.m.; Bayou City Funk at 3 p.m.; and EL LAGO at 7 p.m. All events are Free to attend and are all ages. A list of participating stores in town is available here.

The 27th Annual KTRU Outdoor Show will take place on Rice Campus. This year things will get headlined by the hip hop of Atlanta's Kodie Shane. Shane has been on the come up for a minute now, her sets are rumored to be blasts of energy, and her latest release Big Trouble Little Jupiter is pretty amazing. Of course, I'd guess most of you would be amped for the lo-fi R&B of Canada's Homeshake who will also be performing. The dance sounds of CAPYAC will also be on hand while Pearl Crush and Kay Weathers will also drop sets. The all ages event gets going with a set from Pickleback. Doors at 3 p.m.; Free.

Mucky Duck will get lit up when Two Tons Of Steel swing by to perform. These guys not only honk the honk they can tonk the tonk as well, and their latest release Gone from last year is a mix of old school country with new swing. The San Antonio group will definitely get people on their feet at the 21 & up show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $20 to $22.

In the studio at Warehouse Live, you can get saucy with Kiki Maroon for the Burly Q Lounge show. Burlesque, music, comedy and more is all over this 18 & up show that has a different lineup every month. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $25 seated.

The Secret Group will host a Spoken Word tour with WWE Wrestlers Jake "The Snake" Roberts and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. No word if Slim Jim's will be available, but the tales these two can tell are worth making it out for. The all ages show should be interesting if nothing else. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $30 to $45.

Houston's Cool Moon will bring their indie rock to all at Satellite Bar.

Photo by Marshall Forse Walker

Satellite Bar will bring the rock when Houston's Forever Miles bring their energy over to headline a set. The rock meets desert psych of brother act The Holy Knives will be on as direct support while the indie rock jams of Houston's Cool Moon will go on prior. The Sparks will get the all ages show going. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $7.

Later on at Boondocks, the tropical dance collective Bombon and Houston's Blackout will host a party featuring Uproot Andy. The global bass DJ and producer will be on hand to offer up plenty of jams to get down to at the 21 & up show. Doors at 10 p.m.; $5 cover.

Over at Rockefeller's, if you can't get enough Homeshake, he'll be there as well to drop a set. Supporting his latest lo-fi creation Fresh Air, the Canadian R&B act has blown up as of late. There's no word of support or openers for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; Sold Out.

The Breeders should delight all who catch them on April 23.

Photo courtesy of 4 AD Records

Monday, you can get to know "little Libertine" when Dayton's The Breeders swing by Houston at House of Blues for the first time in a very long time. Aside from being popular from the hit song "Cannonball," the band that's fronted by founding Pixies bassist Kim Deal is here in support of this year's stellar return album All Nerve. The Breeders are alt rock legends, they don't come here often at all, so if you're a fan, this is your show. The pop infused punk of Baltimore's Post Pink will be on as direct support and openers for the all ages show. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets $25 to $49.50.

That's about all that's happening in this stacked week. No matter what you decide to do, remember that a safe ride home is just an app away.

David Garrick is a Houston native who sees more live music than pretty much anyone else in town. A tireless proponent for underground music, he divides his time between seeing up to six bands a night and championing the rights of artists. Known for being a straight shooter, he focuses primarily on Houston music and Houston music events.